La Buona Tavola

You hear the word ‘ciambelle’ a lot in Italian baking. There are so many different types of ciambelle, ciambellette and ciambellini! Sweet, savoury, baked, fried, soft, hard, cookie, cake, or bread – you name it! Ciambelle di pane (bread ciambelle) …

It’s the beginning of artichokes season in Italy. This time of the year is when they are tender and not too big, in fact so tender that they can be eaten raw, thinly cut and simply seasoned with salt, olive …

‘Peperonata’. A southern Italian mixture of peppers, eggplant, and potatoes with tomato and basil. I guess you could say it is the Italian version of a stirfry or ratatouille. What I do know is “I LOVE IT AND SO WILL …

You will love these for dessert or just a snack…pillowy soft dough with raisins, deep fried until golden beautiful then rolled in sugar while still warm. Can you say yummy!!! Where my parents come from in Pofi, Frosinone we call …

There are several variations of gnocchi, but this classic potato gnocchi is a must have in your recipe collection. A simple tomato sauce or even spiced up a bit, make these gnocchi irresistible. It is commonly believed that gnocchi are …

If you’ve ever visited the Apulian countryside, you’ve walked amongst the giants. The majestic ulivi secolari (centuries-old olive trees) have stood the grueling test of time. Imbued with a sage elegance and peaceful tiredness that only comes with old age, …

Spring is here, and that means sweet tender vegetables, micro greens, and a profusion of young herbs. While at my neighborhood Farmer’s Market this week, I purchased some wonderful carrots. Sweet and juicy, packed with sugary carrot flavor, they were …

My grandfather always ended our big family meals by slowly rising from the table and carrying a large bowl of fruit from the sideboard to the table.  That fruit bowl was a constant fixture on their kitchen table and the …

The first and only time I served a whole, intact rabbit was several years ago for Easter dinner (insert humorous comment about serving a bunny on Easter). The adults at the table were freaked out; fortunately no kids had been …

This Mediterranean farro dish is going straight to the top of your favourites list once you try it! But first, let’s touch upon the question, ‘what is farro’?  Farro is the grain of an ancient strain of wheat. The term …